Legal

Supreme Court Seeks Centre’s Reply On Sonam Wangchuk’s Detention Under NSA

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the Union government’s reply to a petition filed by Gitanjali J Angmo, wife of Leh-based climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, questioning his detention under the National Security Act (NSA).

A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria issued notice to the Centre and other concerned authorities, calling for their response in the case.

During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that the detention grounds had already been provided to Wangchuk.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the activist, countered this by saying that no member of Wangchuk’s family had been served with the detention order.

Mehta replied that the law mandates delivery of the order to the detenue alone and that this requirement had been met.

He, however, added that the government would look into the possibility of furnishing a copy to his wife.

The Bench, led by Justice Kumar, directed the Centre to examine whether the detention order could be supplied to Angmo. It also noted that the grounds had already been handed to Wangchuk himself.

Sibal then flagged that Wangchuk’s wife had not been allowed to visit him in custody.

In response, the Solicitor General said there was no restriction on meetings, remarking, “Let’s not create a hype. Nobody is being prevented. Lawyer and brother of detenue have met him in jail.”

Mehta further said the request from Wangchuk’s wife to meet him was ‘under consideration’. He also informed the court that the activist had told a medical officer he was not on any medication.

Mehta described media reports about Wangchuk’s health as ‘hype’ aimed at stirring emotions.

The Bench ordered that Wangchuk should receive necessary medical treatment as per existing prison rules.

The court fixed the next hearing for Tuesday.

Government Blames Wangchuk for Leh Violence

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Wangchuk was held responsible for sparking violence in Leh town.

The activist had been on a hunger strike since 10 September, but ended his fast when unrest broke out.

He allegedly fled the scene in an ambulance and was later detained under the NSA and moved to Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan.

Security forces reportedly fired in self-defence after demonstrators pelted stones and set ablaze a CRPF vehicle. The incident led to the deaths of four civilians.

Wangchuk is a well-known figure in Ladakh, celebrated for his work in education, sustainable development, and environmental protection.

Over the years, he has gained national and international acclaim for: